Red Hot Ferrari

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Philip

When I saw this lovely Ferrari 458 Italia parked at the entrance of the hotel I vowed to bring my Canon along with me the following night. For the picture above I crouched down low with the Canon 10-22mm ultra wide angle zoom, shooting at the 10mm end. I love this lens because it accentuates the sleekness and curves of this machine. The icing on the cake was the color—a sizzling shade of red. The shots below are some other views that I took.

Last but not least, a parting shot of me and my dream car.

Yeng Keng Hotel

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Philip

Seeing as today was a public holiday I decided to head to Yeng Keng Hotel for lunch. I was surprisingly pleased that it wasn’t busy, I had a parking spot, and I was the first customer for lunch.

(Above pictures) Took these shots courtesy of my Canon 10-22mm lens and Speedlite 580EX II. Believe it or not you drive along that path to get to the parking area. Someone obviously forgot their shoes. The staff were pleasant, the décor was pleasing, and yes, I had a nice time.

(Below) I ordered the char hor fun (broad noodles) which at RM15 wasn’t that pricey. The portion was big too.

(Above) For dessert I chose their orange cake with whipped cream and mixed fruits. I liked it and the single espresso that I had after that was one of the strongest I’d ever experienced—it felt more like drinking pure coffee powder.

(Below) After the meal I climbed some stairs to get a better vantage point and took some pictures of Chulia Street. Yeng Keng Hotel is located in the heart of Penang, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As you can see it was a lovely afternoon and my Hoya HD polarizer certainly saturated the blue sky.

That’s Yeng Keng Hotel on the left with the orange roof. They have some nice rooms too; I was allowed to view one but they said photography was forbidden. Oh well.

It’s all in the clouds

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Philip

Yup, I know. For some time now my photography has shifted towards two subjects—food and the sky. On a fine Tuesday afternoon I was outside on my balcony and saw some interesting cloud formations developing. I instinctively knew that I would get better shots at the Straits Quay area, so I grabbed my Canon EOS 550D with 10-22mm ultra wide angle lens, popped on a Hoya HD polarizer, and took off for the mall. Here are some of my favorite shots.

(Above) Straits Quay taken from the car park. I shot this at the widest end of my Canon 10-22mm lens. I love the way the foliage borders the top and bottom of this picture. The Hoya HD polarizer is simply amazing—it’s literally make-up for the sky.

(Below) I went out to the promenade and was met with this awesome sight—I’d never seen such a wonderful spectacle before. I quickly fired off several shots.

(Above) I crouched down and played with the distortion and perspective that made me love the Canon 10-22mm in the first place. The railings lead our eyes toward the far distance.

(Below) The lighthouse becomes a leaning tower. The polarizer not only made the sky bluer, it also cut down the reflections on the sea surface.

(Above) That phenomenal cloud formation again. This time I used the rocks on the shore as added interest. I did my best to keep the horizon straight; guess I should have brought my tripod along.

(Below) A view of the marina, shot at the widest end. I like the way the foreground boat (Minnie) points us towards the distance.

A Quiet Dinner

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Philip

My last visit to Agua was a few months back. Tonight I was in a mood to chill and didn’t want something too heavy sitting in my stomach. Perhaps it’s something about Mediterranean cuisine—I’ve never gotten that bloated feeling after a meal. The waiter suggested I try their special—Roast Pork cutlets (pictures above), so I did. The meat was done just right, and the sauce was heavenly. Coupled with a generous helping of carrots, green beans, potatoes, and some apple sauce…I was sold. A glass of Argentinian Merlot complimented the main course.

For dessert I opted for the Spanish bread and butter pudding. This was divine—there was a tangy orange taste to it (not too overpowering) and some yummy raisins. I liked it because it wasn’t as sweet as I expected. Both shots were taken with my Canon Speedlite 580EX II bouncing the light off the ceiling. And yes, the food is as appetizing as it looks.

The Blue Mansion

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Philip

The Blue Mansion, aka the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (after the man who built it) is listed as “One of the 10 Greatest Mansions in the World” by Lonely Planet and was the winner for the “Most Excellent Project” in the UNESCO Conservation Awards, 2000. Dubbed “La Maison Bleu,” this flamboyant masterpiece of 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, 7 staircases, and 220 windows took a very special man to create. Gothic louvered windows, Chinese cut and paste porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles, Scottish cast iron works and Art Nouveau stained glass are among the features to be found in this inspired work of art. The aura and chi of Cheong Fatt Tze pervades the entire edifice.

I went on a one-hour guided tour of the mansion, ably conducted by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic Miss Lynn. To know that Mr. Cheong had eight wives (polygamy wasn’t a problem in those days, apparently) and God knows how many offspring, makes me chuckle (one is enough for me, though I’m single now) Umm, coming back to the mansion—photography was not permitted once you entered into the mansion, so I had to console myself with only exterior shots. I was very glad I brought along my Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 ultra wide angle zoom. A Hoya HD polarizer was attached to it to saturate the colors. The picture below shows what an unusual perspective you can get if you even tilt this lens slightly.